Chabad Intown Advances Vision 2020 Campaign
Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman announces the next phase onto the finish line.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman revealed the last phase of the Chabad Intown Vision 2020 campaign despite having to deal with a complicated COVID period. The first phase of that campaign was to secure the BeltLine property and do the initial renovations. The total for the Vision campaign goal is a whopping $9.3 million. So far, they have raised $6.2 million, leaving a balance of just over $3 million.
Schusterman declared, “A very generous donor has pledged $2.1 million on condition that we raise $1 million by the end of the summer. This will complete this phase of the campaign. So, it is a 2-1 match.”
This gift will allow them to begin the next phase of the campaign which will include an elaborate renovation of the BeltLine building to make the 21,000 square feet most functional as a community center for meeting peoples’ needs in many ways. Ideas include a rooftop deck with Midtown view, kosher coffee shop, meeting and programming space for the Jewish recovery community, state-of-the-art adult educational space, teaching kitchen, wellness center, classrooms and event space, outdoor BeltLine engagement space, splash pad, art installation space, and a mitzvah walk.
Schusterman elaborated on how Chabad Intown has responded to the COVID journey since March 2020 when they moved to a digital platform including the preschool, Intown Jewish Academy and engaging in inspirational messaging through Facebook, Havdalah services, and pre-Shabbat musical engagements.
They continuously monitored guidance from the CDC and medical team. Under their guidance, they reopened preschool with many safety guidelines in place. Then, they began young adult programming – outdoors and socially distanced – followed by outdoor classes on the BeltLine. As people continue to become vaccinated, they have continued to expand programming, including a Lag BaOmer event recently with more than 100 people in attendance.
Shusterman said, “People are coming out, and we are offering more programs. As we anticipate 5782 programming year, we are preparing a full array of in-person programs and restarting some of our gatherings that have been on the back burner. We anticipate continuing to monitor the safety guidelines and operate with consideration. At the same time, people are desperate for community and connection. Some of our programs will be offered in a hybrid model for those most at risk.”
In terms of the overall pace of donations during COVID, smaller donations have dropped, and larger donors have stepped in to help keep them afloat. Interestingly they had more donors in 2020 than ever before, totaling 861.
Schusterman said, “Although the donations may have been smaller, people recognize the value of what Chabad Intown brings to the community and have been committed to doing their best to support us during these challenging times. We have a great tracking system and have engaged with over 2,000 adults on average for the past five years. Plus, our donor ledgers have grown with close to 1,000 donors annually now!”
Chabad Intown was founded in 1997 to serve the Intown Atlanta Jewish community. Over the years, they have grown from a small outreach center into a full service Jewish facility providing programs and services covering the full lifecycle. In 2018, Chabad Intown capitalized on an opportunity to position itself in the heart of the Intown renaissance by securing a 21,000 square-foot building on the BeltLine, only 100 yards from the popular Ponce City Market.
Rabbi Schusterman refers to their determination and resilience and concluded, “We do our best at Chabad Intown to convey a positive message despite challenging times. This campaign is about using the challenging past year-and-a-half of COVID as a springboard with the lessons learned and looking and moving forward with community and meaning. The time is now for our community to leap forward together into the future and all that our new world has to offer.”
Chabad Intown is located at 730 Ponce de Leon Place. For more information, call (404) 898-0434.
comments